Exploring Wind Energy

Transcription

1 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide Hands-on, critical thinking activities that help secondary students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the scientific, economic, environmental, technological, and societal aspects of wind energy Grade Level: Sec Secondary Subject Areas: Science Social Studies Math Technology Language Arts

2 NEED Mission Statement Teacher Advisory Board Constance Beatty Kankakee, IL James M. Brown Saratoga Springs, NY Barbara Lazar Albuquerque, NM Robert Lazar Albuquerque, NM The mission of The NEED Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multisided energy education programs. Permission to Copy NEED curriculum is available for reproduction by classroom teachers only. NEED curriculum may only be reproduced for use outside the classroom setting when express written permission is obtained in advance from The NEED Project. Permission for use can be obtained by contacting Amy Constant - Schott Raleigh, NC Nina Corley Galveston, TX Shannon Donovan Greene, RI Linda Fonner New Martinsville, WV Samantha Forbes Vienna, VA Michelle Garlick Long Grove, IL Erin Gockel Farmington, NM Robert Griegoliet Naperville, IL Bob Hodash Leslie Lively Porters Falls, WV Jennifer Mitchell - Winterbottom Pottstown, PA Mollie Mukhamedov Port St. Lucie, FL Don Pruett Jr. Puyallup, WA Judy Reeves Lake Charles, LA Tom Spencer Chesapeake, VA Jennifer Trochez MacLean Los Angeles, CA Wayne Yonkelowitz Fayetteville, WV Teacher Advisory Board In support of NEED, the national Teacher Advisory Board (TAB) is dedicated to developing and promoting standardsbased energy curriculum and training. Energy Data Used in NEED Materials NEED believes in providing teachers and students with the most recently reported, available, and accurate energy data. Most statistics and data contained within this guide are derived from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Data is compiled and updated annually where available. Where annual updates are not available, the most current, complete data year available at the time of updates is accessed and printed in NEED materials. To further research energy data, visit the EIA website at DaNel Hogan Tucson, AZ Greg Holman Paradise, CA Printed on Recycled Paper 2 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

3 Exploring Wind Energy Table of Contents Exploring Wind Energy was developed by The NEED Project with funding from the American Wind Energy Association. Exploring Wind Energy Kit 2 Alligator Clips 1 Anemometer 30 Binder clips 1 Compass 1 Genecon with booklet 1 Roll masking tape 2 Multimeters 30 Pencils 75 Snow cone cups 1 Box straight pins 100 Extra-long straws 30 Small straws 1 Wind gauge 1 Wind vane 30 Student Guides KidWind Kit Materials Blade materials sheets (balsa and corrugated plastic sheets) 150 Dowels 10 Airfoil blades 10 Hubs 2 Tower and base setups 2 Geared nacelles 1 Power output pack 2 Gear sets 1 Sandpaper sheet 1 Visual Voltmeter Blade pitch protractor Standards Correlation Information 4 Materials 5 Teacher Guide 7 Wind Energy Bingo Instructions 20 Rubrics for Assesment 22 Wind Energy Assessment 23 Wind Gauge Master 24 Forms of Energy Master 25 4-Blade Windmill Template 26 Genecon Activities 27 Measuring Electricity Master 28 Basic Measurement Values in Electronics Master 29 Turbine Assembly Instructions 30 Benchmark Blade Template 32 Calculating Wind Power Activity 33 Baseload Balance Student Information 34 Game Board 36 Game Pieces 38 Generation Parameters 40 Hang Tag Template 41 Incident Cards 46 Cheat Sheet 47 Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm Activity 48 Wind Energy Bingo 51 Evaluation Form 55 Cover Photo: 135MW Judith Gap Wind Farm. Photo by Invenergy, NREL The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

4 Standards Correlation Information Next Generation Science Standards This guide effectively supports many Next Generation Science Standards. This material can satisfy performance expectations, science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and cross cutting concepts within your required curriculum. For more details on these correlations, please visit NEED s curriculum correlations website. Common Core State Standards This guide has been correlated to the Common Core State Standards in both language arts and mathematics. These correlations are broken down by grade level and guide title, and can be downloaded as a spreadsheet from the NEED curriculum correlations website. Individual State Science Standards This guide has been correlated to each state s individual science standards. These correlations are broken down by grade level and guide title, and can be downloaded as a spreadsheet from the NEED website. 4 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

5 Exploring Wind Energy Materials ACTIVITY MATERIALS IN KIT ADDITIONAL MATERIALS NEEDED Measuring Wind Speed Pencils Snow cone cups Extra-long straws Straight pins Masking tape Anemometer Wind gauge Wind vane Compass Hole punches Markers Scissors Watches with second hand or stopwatches Rulers Wind Can Do Work Introduction to Electricity Wind Blade Investigations Extra-long straws Small straws Binder clips Straight pins Masking tape Dowels Turbine tower set-up (assembled)* Genecon and booklet Alligator clips Dowels Visual voltmeter Hubs Blade pitch protractors Sandpaper Masking tape Masking tape Hubs Multimeters Turbine tower set-ups (assembled)* Large foam cups (approximately 14 cm tall) Rulers Hole punches Markers String or thread Paper clips Fan(s) Scissors Poster board Small light bulb (3.8V, 0.3A) in socket with leads Battery (any 1.5-volt AAA, AA, or D) Fan Glue Scissors Fan(s) Pennies or other masses Rulers Poster board Glue Blade Aerodynamics Blade Design Challenge Turbine tower set-ups (assembled)* Hub Dowels Airfoil blades Masking tape Blade pitch protractor Multimeter Dowels Blade materials (flat balsa sheets, corrugated plastic sheets) Hubs Masking tape Multimeters Turbine tower set-ups (assembled)* Sandpaper Visual voltmeter Blade pitch protractor Glue Fan Alternative blade materials Glue Scissors Fan(s) Rulers Stopwatches or watches with second hand *See pages for turbine tower assembly instruction. NOTE: You can build your own turbine towers using PVC pipe. For directions, visit The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

6 ACTIVITY MATERIALS IN KIT ADDITIONAL MATERIALS NEEDED Baseload Balance Tape Scissors String Erasers Colored paper Rope Marker boards Dry-erase markers 6 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

7 Teacher Guide &Background Exploring Wind Energy is an inquiry-based unit with Teacher and Student Guides containing comprehensive background information on wind energy and electricity generation. Through hands-on inquiry investigations, reading nonfiction text, and critical thinking activities, students will learn about the physics of wind, the history of harnessing wind s energy, and how we harness wind s energy today. The kit that accompanies this curriculum contains most of the materials necessary to conduct the activities and investigations. Please refer to pages 5-6 of the Teacher Guide for a complete list of materials included in the kit and additional materials needed to conduct the activities. Time The sequence of lessons was designed for use in a 45-minute class period. In this setting, the unit will take approximately 2-3 weeks, if done in its entirety. Science Notebooks Throughout this curriculum, science notebooks are referenced. If you currently use science notebooks or journals, you may have your students continue using these. A rubric to guide assessment of student notebooks can be found on page 22 in the Teacher Guide. In addition to science notebooks, student worksheets have been included in the Student Guide. Depending on your students level of independence and familiarity with the scientific process, you may choose to use these worksheets instead of science notebooks. Or, as appropriate, you may want to make copies of worksheets and have your students glue or tape the copies into their notebooks. The rubric can also be used to evaluate student work in this format. Activity 1: Introduction to Wind Objective Students practice making observations. Procedure 1. If you wish, have students complete the Wind Energy Assessment (page 23 of the Teacher Guide) as a pre-test. 2. As an introductory activity or an alternative to the assessment, have students play Wind Energy BIngo. Instructions for the game are found on pages 20-21, and student bingo sheets can be found on page Have students read Introduction to Wind on pages 2-6 in the Student Guide. 4. Take the class outside to make their own wind observations. In science notebooks, students should use objects in the environment to record visual cues in words and/or sketches. 5. Back inside the classroom, have students share their observations with each other and write a paragraph about their observations. Grade Level Secondary, grades Web Resources American Wind Energy Association Bureau of Land Management Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Energy Information Administration EIA Energy Kids U.S. Department of Energy Wind Program wind-energy-technologies-office U.S. Department of Energy WINDExchange windexchange Additional Resources NEED has several guides and activities that can support and enhance the content covered in this unit. Visit for free downloads of the titles below and many more! Secondary Energy Infobook Secondary Energy Infobook Activities Energy Games and Icebreakers Energy Live! :Technology Connection These activities also work nicely with probewear in the technology-savy classroom. Use Vernier s Energy Sensors to measure output of turbines The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

8 Activity 2: Measuring Wind Speed Objectives Students will be able to measure wind direction and speed. Students will be able to explain wind speed s relation and importance when generating electricity from wind. Materials FOR EACH STUDENT OR PAIR 5 Snow cone cups 1 Pencil 2 Extra-long straws 1 Straight pin Masking tape Hole punch Marker Watch with second hand or stopwatch Scissors Ruler Build an Anemometer worksheet, Student Guide page 22 2 Preparation Make copies of worksheets, as needed. Gather supplies for the activity, and assemble stations, if necessary. Procedure Materials FOR THE CLASS Anemometer Wind gauge Wind vane Compass 1. Students should review Measuring Wind Direction and Speed on page 6 in the Student Guide. 2. Students will build an anemometer using the directions on the Build an Anemometer worksheet. 3. Teach students how to use their anemometers and other wind measuring tools. Directions for the wind gauge can be found on page 24 of the Teacher Guide, project as necessary. 4. Bring students outside with their anemometers and science notebooks, along with the wind measuring tools included in the kit. If possible, allow students to spread out to different areas of the campus to record wind speed and direction and the time it was recorded. Students should record data and observations in their science notebooks, and compare their handmade tools to the wind gauge and plastic anemometer. 5. Return to class and lead a discussion about class observations. Were there differences in wind speed around the school grounds? Why might that be? Were there any discrepancies in measured wind speed from different anemometers? Why might this be? Ask students why recording the time is important. Activity 3: History of Wind Energy Objective Students will be able to describe important events in the growth of wind energy use over time. Materials History of Harnessing the Wind s Energy worksheet, Student Guide page 23 Procedure 1. Make copies of worksheets, as needed. 2. Have the class read Evolution of the Windmill and American Windmills on page 12 of the Student Guide, and the Wind Energy Timeline on pages CONTINUES ON PAGE 9 8 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

9 3. Using the History of Harnessing the Wind s Energy worksheet, students should choose five important events and analyze them. 4. Next, students should choose one event and write a more detailed paragraph about the event, what brought it about, and what impact it had. Extension Students can work individually or in pairs to complete a more in-depth research report on a significant event. Activity 4: Wind Can Do Work Objective Students will be able to explain how wind can do work. Materials FOR EACH STUDENT OR PAIR 1 Large foam cup approximately 14 cm tall 1 Extra-long straw* 1 Small straw 1 Binder clip 2 Straight pins Ruler Hole punch Marker 50 cm String or thread Paper clips Masking tape Scissors Forms of Energy master, Teacher Guide page 25 4-Blade Windmill Template, Teacher Guide page 26 Wind Can Do Work worksheet, Student Guide page 24 2 Preparation Make copies of worksheets, as needed. Gather supplies for the activity, and assemble stations, if necessary. Materials FOR THE CLASS Fan(s) *Note: The extra-long straw is long enough for two windmills when cut in half. Procedure 1. Have students read Energy on pages 7-8 in the Student Guide. 2. Using the Forms of Energy master, discuss energy transformations with students. 3. Students should build windmills using the directions from the Wind Can Do Work worksheet. 4. Students should diagram their windmill assembly and trace the energy transformations that occur in this system in their science notebooks. 5. Encourage students to investigate the question, What is the maximum load that can be lifted all of the way to the top of the windmill shaft? Students should record data and observations in their science notebooks. Extension Students can redesign the windmill to see if they can produce more work from the system. Students can also think of their own question and design their own investigation based on the system The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

10 Activity 5: Introduction to Electricity Objective Students will be able to describe how electricity is produced. Materials FOR ACTIVITY Poster board Dowels Hubs Glue Masking tape 1 Turbine tower set-up (see Preparation below) Genecon and booklet Materials FOR TURBINE ASSEMBLY 20 Wood towers Tower stand sets (1 locking disc, 3 base legs, 1 leg insert) Turbine nacelle Hex driveshafts Motor mount (2 bolts, 4 wing nuts, 4 nuts, 8 screws, 2 motor mounts (blue), 1 wind turbine motor with wires, 1 hi-torque motor with wires) 1 Bulb (3.8V, 0.3A) in socket with leads 1 Battery (any 1.5-volt AAA, AA, or D) 1 Fan 2 Alligator clips Observing a Genecon worksheet, Student Guide page 25 Turbine gear pack (3 gear keys, 1 8-tooth gear, 1 16-tooth gear, 1 32-tooth gear, 1 64-tooth gear, 1 wooden spool) Turbine Assembly Instructions, Teacher Guide pages Benchmark Blade Template, Teacher Guide page 32 2 Preparation Assemble at least one turbine tower (you will need both for Activity 6) using the Turbine Assembly Instructions and the materials listed above. A Vimeo video of the turbine set-up process can also be viewed by visiting or by visiting Utilizing poster board, dowels, hubs, glue, and tape, create your own set of benchmark blades using the blade template. Familiarize yourself with the Genecon. Make copies of worksheets, as needed. Procedure 1. Have students read Electricity on pages 9-11 in the Student Guide. 2. Demonstrate with the Genecon the difference between a motor and a generator. Use page 27 in the Teacher Guide for more detailed instructions. Students can take notes in their science notebooks or use the Observing a Genecon worksheet. 3. Explain to students that they will be working in teams to design the most efficient turbine blades possible. To do this, they will first investigate isolated variables using benchmark blades. Demonstrate this by showing them your blades and the turbine. It is recommended that all of the students make blades out of poster board prior to experimenting with the blade materials in the Designing Optimum Blades investigation. Extension For additional Genecon activities, please refer to your Genecon booklet. 10 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

11 Activity 6: Wind Blade Investigations Objective Students will be able to identify the blade variables that impact the electrical output of a wind turbine. Materials FOR INVESTIGATIONS Dowels Visual voltmeter Hubs Blade pitch protractor Sandpaper 2 Turbine tower set-ups (see Preparation below) Masking tape Multimeters Scissors Fan(s) Pennies or other masses Rulers Poster board Benchmark Blade Template, Teacher Guide page 32 Blade investigations worksheets, Student Guide pages Materials FOR TURBINE ASSEMBLY 20 Wood towers Tower stand sets (1 locking disc, 3 base legs, 1 leg insert) Turbine nacelle Hex driveshafts Motor mount (2 bolts, 4 wing nuts, 4 nuts, 8 screws, 2 motor mounts (blue), 1 wind turbine motor with wires, 1 hi-torque motor with wires) Turbine gear pack (3 gear keys, 1 8-tooth gear, 1 16-tooth gear, 1 32-tooth gear, 1 64-tooth gear, 1 wooden spool) 2 Preparation If you haven t done so already, construct the turbine towers as directed on pages of the Teacher Guide, using the materials listed above. BLADE MATERIALS It is recommended that the benchmark blades be made of poster board, which is not included in the kit. Gather remaining materials and set up blade investigation stations. Make copies of worksheets, as needed. Procedure 1. Students should read Harnessing the Wind s Energy on pages and in the Student Guide. 2. Teach students how to use the multimeters and voltmeter to measure electricity. Resources for measuring electricity can be found on pages in the Teacher Guide and pages in the Student Guide. 3. Divide students into small groups. Each group should be given their own hub and blade materials. 4. Have students complete each blade investigation. The investigations have been designed to build upon each other, and it is suggested that they be done in order in a gradual release model. Blade Investigation #1 Exploring Blade Pitch, Student Guide page 28 Blade Investigation #2 Exploring Number of Blades, Student Guide page 29 Blade Investigation #3 Exploring Surface Area, Student Guide page 30 Blade Investigation #4 Exploring Mass, Student Guide page 31 WIND TURBINE MANAGEMENT TIP: NEED s Exploring Wind Energy kit has two towers and ten hubs. In your classroom, you can set up two testing stations using the towers provided. Each student group should receive their own hub, and they can use this to prepare their blade investigations. When they are ready to test their investigation, students can bring their hub over to the tower and connect it to the generator. WARNING: When removing hubs from the generator, students need to be careful not to pull the generator out of the nacelle, so that gears remain connected The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

12 Activity 7: Blade Aerodynamics Objectives Students will be able to describe the following terms: drag, lift, and torque. Students will be able to describe how aerodynamics of blades can affect the turbine s efficiency. Materials 1 Turbine tower set-up (assembled) Hub Dowels Airfoil blades Glue Masking tape Blade pitch protractor Multimeter Fan Blade Aerodynamics Graphic Organizer (optional), Student Guide page 32 Blade Aerodynamics worksheet, Student Guide page 33 2 Preparation Assemble a turbine tower, if you have not done so already, using the Turbine Assembly Instructions on pages of the Teacher Guide. Make benchmark airfoil blades by attaching the balsa wood airfoil sheets to dowel rods. They can be shaped more, if desirable. Make copies of the worksheets, as needed. Procedure 1. Have students read the insert on blade aerodynamics, found on pages of the Student Guide. 2. Students should take notes as they read. 3. Place the benchmark blades into the hub and attach the hub to the tower. 4. Demonstrate how the blades are shaped, and experiment with the different variables that students may have experimented with in their wind blade investigations (pitch, number, surface area, and mass), as time allows. 5. Students should record observations and plan their optimal blade design in their small groups from the previous investigations. NOTE: The graphic organizer is optional in steps 1 and 2 above. The reading can also be completed as a homework assignment or as a jigsaw activity within small groups. 12 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

13 Activity 8: Blade Design Challenge Objectives Students will collaborate and create optimized wind turbine blades that generate the most electricity. Students will be able to identify variables that can affect the efficiency of a wind turbine. Materials Dowels Flat balsa sheets Corrugated plastic sheets Extra alternative blade materials Hubs Glue Masking tape Multimeters Scissors Fans Rulers Stopwatches or watches with second hand Assembled turbine towers (with unused gears) Visual voltmeter Blade pitch protractor Sandpaper Designing Optimum Blades worksheet, Student Guide page 34 Investigating Gear Ratios worksheet, Student Guide page 35 2 Preparation Assemble the turbine towers, if you have not done so already, using the Turbine Assembly Instructions on pages of the Teacher Guide. Make copies of the worksheets, as needed. BLADE MATERIALS The benchmark blades from previous activities were recommended to be made from poster board. Balsa and corrugated plastic sheets have been included in your kit, but anything can be used as blade material. You may want to gather your own materials, or have students bring in different materials for this investigation. Procedure 1. Students should work in small groups from earlier investigations to compile data they recorded about different variables, and plan for designing the optimum blades. Students will follow the guidance of the Designing Optimum Blades worksheet to complete the activity. 2. Each group should have their own hub and any materials they would like to use to construct and build blades. 3. Decide on a time-frame for students to complete planning, testing, analysis, and redesigning phases, implementing checks on their work, as needed. Choose a time for final blade designs to be submitted. 4. Compare group designs as a class. Discuss what features and variables each group utilized and optimized to create their design. Discuss as a class what the most successful blade designs should incorporate. 5. Have students complete the Investigating Gear Ratios activity to examine how efficiency can also be tied to the construction of the tower. Discuss student observations. NOTE: This activity may be framed as a competition or challenge between groups, with a reward. You may also choose to conduct the gear ratios activity as a demonstration with the winning design, or allow individual groups to experiment with gear ratios. WIND TURBINE MANAGEMENT TIP: NEED s Exploring Wind Energy kit has two towers and ten hubs. In your classroom, you can set up two testing stations using the towers provided. Each student group should receive their own hub, and they can use this to prepare their blade designs. When they are ready to test their designs, students can bring their hub over to the tower and connect it to the generator. WARNING: When removing hubs from the generator, students need to be careful not to pull the generator out of the nacelle, so that gears remain connected. Extensions Have students calculate wind power using the Calculating Wind Power worksheet on page 36 of the Student Guide. Have students investigate what happens to the electrical output when a load and/or resistors are added to the circuit The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

14 Activity 9: Baseload Balance &Background Most students don t give electric power much thought until the power goes out. Electricity plays a giant role in our day-to-day lives. This activity demonstrates how electricity supply is transmitted on the electric grid to consumers. It also encourages students to explore the differences between baseload and peak demand power, and how power companies maintain supply to ensure customers have power as they need it. Students will be introduced to the economics of electricity generation and supply and be able to see first-hand the financial challenges utilities must overcome to be able to provide the power demanded by consumers at the lowest cost. Figures, costs, and sources used in this activity are roughly based on current industry uses and costs, but have been made into round figures for ease of implementation. Students will first play a game with a game board and pieces. This activity is then followed by a simulation where students assume roles as loads or generation. You may decide to change the order of the activity or eliminate a part of the activity to meet the needs of your students. Objectives Students will be able to differentiate between baseload and peak demand power. Students will be able to explain the purpose of using a variety of sources to meet base and peak load power demand. Students will be able to describe the challenges of using certain sources to meet base and peak load power demand. Materials Scissors and tape for each student or small group String Rope Colored paper Individual marker boards with erasers and markers Baseload Balance Student Information, Teacher Guide pages Game board for each student or small group, Teacher Guide pages Game pieces for each student or small group, Teacher Guide pages Generation Parameters master, Teacher Guide page 40 Hang tags, Teacher Guide pages Incident Cards, Teacher Guide page 46 Cheat Sheet, Teacher Guide page 47 A Vocabulary SPECIFIC TO THE GAME Baseload Generation Load Transmission Peak demand Megawatt 2Preparation Familiarize yourself with the activity instructions and student background information before facilitating the game with students. Decide which version of the game you will use, if only using one part of the activity. Make a copy of the cheat sheet for yourself to have handy when going over the game and during game play with students. Copy the hang tags and cut them apart. Attach the tags to three colors of paper or color the cards so that the generation, the transmission, and the load cards are each a different color. Laminate, if desired, for future use. Make a copy of the Incident Cards. Cut the cards apart and fold on the dotted line. Laminate, if desired, for future use. Make a copy of the Game Board and Game Pieces for each student or small group of students. Laminate the board for future use, if desired. Make a copy of the background information for each student. 14 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

15 Prepare a copy of the Generation Parameters master to project for discussion. Designate an area of the room to be the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO). On one side of this area will be the generation group, and the other side will be the load group. Each side should have its own marker board, eraser, and marker. Decide if a student will be the RTO leader, or if the teacher or another adult will assume this role. Having a student assume this position will create a more student-centered activity. Depending on the ability of the students in your group, using a student for this role may require more monitoring and time than if a teacher is in charge. Instruct all students to read the Baseload Balance Student Information the night before playing as a homework assignment. Procedure FOR INDIVIDUAL / SMALL GROUP PLAY 1. Distribute a game board and game pieces to each student or small group of students. 2. Explain the game board, and what each section represents. Explain that the x-axis shows the 24 hours of a typical day, and the y-axis shows the amount of electric power in demand. 3. Explain the game pieces by describing each energy source, the amount of power being generated, and the difference between baseload and peak load. 4. Instruct the students to cut the game pieces apart. 5. Students are to meet demand by laying their game pieces over the game board, starting first with baseload generation, using it to meet baseload demand. They can make small tape rings to hold their pieces in place on the game board, as needed. 6. To meet peak demand, students should trim their game pieces to cover the peak demand shown on the game board, maintaining the information on each piece (trim the blank areas first). 7. At the bottom of the game board, students can calculate the cost of electric power generation by adding the costs of the generating supply for that hour, if desired. Students can then calculate the average cost per megawatt-hour to generate electricity in that 24-hour period.? Discussion Questions 1. What is the peak demand time? When is the least amount of power needed? 2. What was the average cost per megawatt-hour during daylight hours? 3. What was the average cost per megawatt-hour over the entire 24-hour period? 4. Everyone needed to use most of the same baseload generation. However, there were options for some of the generation and options to meet peak demand. Why did you choose your particular sources? 5. How would knowledge of historical data and weather forecasts help in making decisions about which sources to use? Procedure FOR SIMULATION ACTIVITY 1. Assign each student a role that corresponds to each hang tag. If your class does not have enough students for each tag, the baseload tags can be tied to the rope because they are always in operation. A list of the roles can also be found on page 16. The Transmission roles are best assigned to students who are able to think quickly on their feet and have good math skills. Provide the RTO student a copy of the cheat sheet if a student is filling this role. Make sure you retain a copy to help facilitate game play. 2. Allow time for students to research their roles and re-read the background information. Students should be familiar with the vocabulary and information on their hang tag, including generating capacity, energy source, and power demand. Depending on the level of your students, you may choose to have them skip the section of the background information that discusses regional transmission organizations and independent system operators. 3. Project the Generation Parameters master for the class. Discuss the relative cost for each source and plant type as well as the suggested reasoning for the cost of each The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

16 4. The activity begins with the transmission organization students gathering in the Regional Transmission Organization area, each holding onto the rope or string. The student on each end should have plenty of available rope or string onto which the generation students and load students will attach. These students will decide which peak load providers (plants) will be brought online to meet increasing demand as the activity progresses. They will also help the RTO by tabulating the current load or generation on their side of the line. They will display it on their marker board and update it as the activity progresses. 5. In the generation group, the residential baseload, commercial baseload, heavy industry baseload, and all baseload generation students all hold ends of the rope on their respective sides. They will be holding onto the rope during the entire activity because as baseload power or generation, they are providing or using power all the time. 6. At the appropriate time indicated on each hang tag, each load student will join the grid, increasing the load demand. Residential demand comes up (online) at about 7:00 a.m. as people begin to wake. Demand continues to rise as more residential, commercial, and industry come on the grid, pulling electricity or creating another load. 7. The transmission organization students will need to balance the generation against the load while using the cheapest sources available for the longest amount of time. They will choose the best generation students to come online to balance the load students. The RTO can monitor or assist the transmission group by announcing the time and reminding each load or role when to join on. 8. If time allows after going through the activity once (one complete 24-hour period), reset the activity to early morning and run through a second time. Choose one or more of the three Incident Cards to introduce to the balance. You may also wish to reassign students to different roles, depending on their command of the activity in the first round. Student Roles for Ending Activity Baseload demand three students Peak load demand eight students Baseload generation six students Peak load generation seven students Transmission three to five students RTO one to three students or a teacher 16 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

17 Extensions RTOs usually require generation to be 15 percent above demand. Play the game again accounting for the prescribed demand plus the additional 15 percent. Hold a class discussion about why this extra generation is required. Have students brainstorm other scenarios that could fit onto an incident card, and test out those scenarios. Students could write a persuasive letter in support of a certain type of power plant after playing the game. Letters should include information gleaned about the plant s advantages and disadvantages, as well as the feasibility for use in generation of electricity at the lowest cost. The transmission of power on the grid during this game could also be illustrated with power lines made of rope. These ropes would represent the low-voltage and high-voltage lines that carry electricity. Make two bundles of rope, 8 pieces in each. Fasten the bundles of rope together with zip ties or duct tape, leaving several feet of loose rope on each end (see diagram below). As generation and loads are added, each student can hold onto a different end of the rope to more accurately demonstrate the distribution of power (see diagram on next page). 8 lengths of rope about 20 feet long Bind the rope together with zip ties or heavy tape, leaving the ends free, as shown. Generation Group Transmission Ropes through transmission end in multiple lines allowing a grab-on point for new generation and load additions. Load Group 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

18 Activity 10: Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm Objective Students will be able to identify essential factors and challenges to be considered when siting a wind farm. Materials Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm activity, Teacher Guide pages Roll Group worksheet, Student Guide page 37 Procedure 1. Make copies of worksheets, as needed. 2. Introduce the activity by reading the activity instructions to students. Discuss as a class what they think a developer might need to do before introducing wind as an option for a community with no wind turbines. What might happen before the meeting and who might be involved? 3. Assign students different roles to investigate their perspective. Decide how much time students will have for research and presentation. Be sure to investigate the web resources provided on page 50 of the Teacher Guide prior to the activity to best guide your students to relevant and appropriate information. 4. Students should research their roles, answer the questions, and assess the positives and negatives of the proposal based on their assigned roles. 5. Students will present their perspective to the class in a mock town hall meeting. You may have teachers or students from other classes act as community members who vote based on the presentations. 6. At the conclusion of the activity discuss the results as a class. Ask students how we respect landowners and community member rights while meeting community needs. What happens if no agreement is reached? Assessment Objective Students will demonstrate their understanding of wind turbines and wind energy. Materials Copies of the Wind Energy Assessment for each student, Teacher Guide page 23 Copies of Wind Energy Bingo for each student, Teacher Guide page 51 Procedure 1. Give students the Wind Energy Assessment. You may also choose to do this at the beginning and end of the unit as a pre/post test. 2. Discuss answers as needed. 3. Assess students responses and work using the rubrics on page Play Wind Energy Bingo with students as a formative assessment or vocabulary review. Instructions for this game are found on pages Evaluate the unit using the Evaluation Form on page 55 and return it to NEED. Wind Energy Assessment Answer Key 1) c 2) b 3) b 4) a 5) b 6) a 7) b 8) d 9) d 10) a 18 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

19 Language Arts Extensions Visit to find plays and rock song lyrics relating to wind energy, efficiency and conservation, and renewable energy sources. These are fun reinforcement extensions for your class, which also provide an outreach opportunity for your students to perform for and teach students in younger grades. From NEED s homepage, go to the section For Educators and then to Curriculum Materials. Search for these materials by title: Energy Live! Energy on Stage EXPLORING WIND ENERGY KIT Grades 9 12 These hands-on, critical thinking activities help students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the scientific, economic, environmental, technological, and societal aspects of wind energy. Students are challenged to design the optimum blades for a turbine and consider the best place to locate a turbine. The kit comes with a Teacher Guide, a class set of 30 Student Guides, and the materials necessary to conduct the activities, including two KidWind Geared Turbines. Levels: Secondary Teacher and Student Guides $ 5.00 Learning and Conserving Kit $ Class Set of 30 Student Guides $ OTHER EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION KITS WIND IS ENERGY WONDERS OF WIND ENERGY FROM THE WIND 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

20 Wind Energy BINGO Instructions Wind Energy Bingo is a great icebreaker for a NEED workshop or conference. As a classroom activity, it also makes a great introduction to an energy unit. 2Preparation 5 minutes Time 45 minutes Bingos are available on several different topics. Check out these resources for more bingo options! Biomass Bingo Energy Stories and More Change a Light Bingo Energy Conservation Contract Coal Bingo Coal guides Energy Bingo Energy Games and Icebreakers Energy Efficiency Bingo Monitoring and Mentoring and Learning and Conserving Hydrogen Bingo H 2 Educate Hydropower Bingo Hydropower guides Nuclear Energy Bingo Nuclear guides Oil and Natural Gas Bingo Oil and Natural Gas guides Science of Energy Bingo Science of Energy guides Solar Bingo Solar guides Transportation Bingo Transportation guides Get Ready Duplicate as many Wind Energy Bingo sheets (found on page 51) as needed for each person in your group. In addition, decide now if you want to give the winner of your game a prize and what the prize will be. Get Set Pass out one Wind Energy Bingo sheet to each member of the group. Go PART ONE: FILLING IN THE BINGO SHEETS Give the group the following instructions to create bingo cards: This bingo activity is very similar to regular bingo. However, there are a few things you ll need to know to play this game. First, please take a minute to look at your bingo sheet and read the 16 statements at the top of the page. Shortly, you ll be going around the room trying to find 16 people about whom the statements are true so you can write their names in one of the 16 boxes. When I give you the signal, you ll get up and ask a person if a statement at the top of your bingo sheet is true for them. If the person gives what you believe is a correct response, write the person s name in the corresponding box on the lower part of the page. For example, if you ask a person question D and he or she gives you what you think is a correct response, then go ahead and write the person s name in box D. A correct response is important because later on, if you get bingo, that person will be asked to answer the question correctly in front of the group. If he or she can t answer the question correctly, then you lose bingo. So, if someone gives you an incorrect answer, ask someone else! Don t use your name for one of the boxes or use the same person s name twice. Try to fill all 16 boxes in the next 20 minutes. This will increase your chances of winning. After the 20 minutes are up, please sit down and I will begin asking players to stand up and give their names. Are there any questions? You ll now have 20 minutes. Go! During the next 20 minutes, move around the room to assist the players. Every five minutes or so tell the players how many minutes are remaining in the game. Give the players a warning when just a minute or two remains. When the 20 minutes are up, stop the players and ask them to be seated. PART TWO: PLAYING BINGO Give the class the following instructions to play the game: When I point to you, please stand up and in a LOUD and CLEAR voice give us your name. Now, if anyone has the name of the person I call on, put a big X in the box with that person s name. When you get four names in a row across, down, or diagonally shout Bingo! Then I ll ask you to come up front to verify your results. Let s start off with you (point to a player in the group). Please stand and give us your name. (Player gives name. Let s say the player s name was Joe. ) Okay, players, if any of you have Joe s name in one of your boxes, go ahead and put an X through that box. When the first player shouts Bingo, ask him (or her) to come to the front of the room. Ask him to give his name. Then ask him to tell the group how his bingo run was made, e.g., down from A to M, across from E to H, and so on. 20 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

21 Now you need to verify the bingo winner s results. Ask the bingo winner to call out the first person s name on his bingo run. That player then stands and the bingo winner asks him the question which he previously answered during the 20-minute session. For example, if the statement was can name two renewable sources of energy, the player must now name two sources. If he can answer the question correctly, the bingo winner calls out the next person s name on his bingo run. However, if he does not answer the question correctly, the bingo winner does not have bingo after all and must sit down with the rest of the players. You should continue to point to players until another person yells Bingo. WIND ENERGY BINGO ANSWERS A. Has used wind energy for transportation B. Knows the average cost per residential kilowatt-hour of electricity C. Can name two renewable energy sources other than wind D. Can explain how wind is formed E. Knows what an anemometer does F. Can name two forms of energy G. Can name two factors to consider when siting a wind farm H. Knows how electricity is generated by a wind turbine I. Has seen a modern wind turbine J. Knows how wind speed is measured K. Has experienced the wind tunnel effect L. Knows the energy efficiency of a wind turbine M. Can name two uses of windmills N. Can name two myths many people believe about wind turbines O. Has been to a power plant P. Knows what a gear box does A B C D Sailboat Sailboard etc. $0.127 national average for residential customers biomass geothermal hydropower solar The sun heats Earth s land and water surfaces differently. Warm air rises, cool air moves in. E F G H measures wind speed potential, elastic, chemical, gravitational, nuclear, radiant, thermal, sound, motion, light, electrical wind speed and consistency, environment (land and animals), public opinion, access to grid Turbine spins a shaft, which spins a generator producing electricity I J K L ask for location/description meters per second, with anemometer ask for details The Betz Limit is 59% for wind, today s wind turbines are about 25-45% efficient. M N O P Grind grain, pump water, generate electricity, etc. Noisy, unpredictable, expensive, kills birds, interferes with TV and communication signals, etc. ask for location/description Connects low-speed shaft to high-speed shaft and increases the rotational speeds to produce electricity 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

22 Rubrics For Assessment Inquiry Explorations Rubric This is a sample rubric that can be used with inquiry investigations and science notebooks. You may choose to only assess one area at a time, or look at an investigation as a whole. It is suggested that you share this rubric with students and discuss the different components. SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY DATA/OBSERVATIONS CONCLUSIONS 4 Written explanations illustrate accurate and thorough understanding of scientific concepts. 3 Written explanations illustrate an accurate understanding of most scientific concepts. 2 Written explanations illustrate a limited understanding of scientific concepts. 1 Written explanations illustrate an inaccurate understanding of scientific concepts. Culminating Project Rubric The student independently conducts investigations and designs and carries out his or her own investigations. The student follows procedures accurately to conduct given investigations, begins to design his or her own investigations. The student may not conduct an investigation completely, parts of the inquiry process are missing. The student needs significant support to conduct an investigation. Comprehensive data is collected and thorough observations are made. Diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs are used and labeled appropriately. Data and observations are presented clearly and neatly with appropriate labels. Necessary data is collected. Observations are recorded. Diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs are used appropriately most of the time. Data is presented clearly, and neatly. Some data is collected. The student may lean more heavily on observations. Diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs may be used inappropriately, have some missing information, or are labeled without 100% accuracy. Data and/or observations are missing or inaccurate. The student clearly communicates what was learned and uses strong evidence to support reasoning. The conclusion includes application to real life situations. The student communicates what was learned and uses some evidence to support reasoning. The student communicates what was learned but is missing evidence to support reasoning. The conclusion is missing or inaccurate. This rubric may be used with the Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm activity starting on page 48 of the Teacher Guide, or for any other group work you ask the students to complete. CONTENT ORGANIZATION ORIGINALITY WORKLOAD 4 Project covers the topic indepth with many details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent. Content is very well organized and presented in a logical sequence. Project shows much original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive. The workload is divided and shared equally by all members of the group. 3 Project includes essential information about the topic. Subject knowledge is good. Content is logically organized. Project shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights. The workload is divided and shared fairly equally by all group members, but workloads may vary. 2 Project includes essential information about the topic, but there are 1-2 factual errors. Content is logically organized with a few confusing sections. Project provides essential information, but there is little evidence of original thinking. The workload is divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing a fair share of the work. 1 Project includes minimal information or there are several factual errors. There is no clear organizational structure, just a compilation of facts. Project provides some essential information, but no original thought. The workload is not divided, or several members are not doing a fair share of the work. 22 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

23 Wind Energy Assessment Name Date 1. The energy of moving molecules, electrons, and substances is called energy. a. potential b. elastic c. kinetic d. electrical 2. Renewable energy sources provide what percentage of total U.S. energy consumption? a % b. 5-10% c % d % 3. The energy in wind comes from. a. ocean currents b. solar radiation c. jet streams d. climate change 4. The direction of a wind blowing from Chicago toward Washington, D.C. is called a. a. northwest wind b. southeast wind c. northeast wind d. south wind 5. Wind is measured by the. a. Doppler Scale b. Beaufort Scale c. Richter Scale d. Coriolis Scale 6. An instrument that measures wind speed is a/an. a. anemometer b. wind vane c. multimeter d. aerometer 7. A device that uses electromagnetism to produce electricity is called a/an. a. motor b. generator c. electrometer d. turbine 8. A wind turbine converts. a. potential energy to electrical energy b. kinetic energy to potential energy c. chemical energy to kinetic energy d. motion energy to electrical energy 9. A good place to site a wind turbine could be a. a. mountain top b. sea coast c. narrow valley d. all of the above 10. Wind energy produces how much of total electricity generation in the U.S. today? a. 3-5% b. 6-8% c % d % 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

24 MASTER Wind Gauge This type of wind gauge is designed to measure wind speed based on Bernoulli s Principle, which states that energy is conserved in a moving fluid (liquid or gas). If the fluid is moving in a horizontal direction, the pressure decreases as the speed of the fluid increases. If the speed decreases, the pressure increases. This means that as the speed of the wind increases, its pressure decreases. Pressure moves from high to low. The wind gauge has the following features: A. one large hole in the top of the hollow stem; B. one small hole on the side of the hollow stem; C. two holes on the lower back; and D. a very light ball at the bottom of the hollow stem that can move up and down the stem. The wind gauge has two ranges: E. low; and F. high. To operate the wind gauge, hold the wind gauge upright into the wind with the scale side facing you. Do not block the bottom holes on the back. As the wind flows across the top holes it creates lower pressure at the top of the stem. No wind flows across the bottom holes, so the pressure there remains the same (at a higher pressure than at the top). Air flows into the bottom holes, lifting the ball. The faster the wind blows, the lower the pressure at the top of the stem. If the wind is blowing faster than 10 mph and the ball is at the top of the stem, cover the large hole at the top of the stem with your finger. Be careful not to obstruct the smaller hole on the side of the stem. The wind will create lower pressure only at the smaller hole. Read the wind speed using the high range on the wind gauge when the top hole is covered. C C 24 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

25 MASTER e Forms of Energy All forms of energy fall under two categories: POTENTIAL Stored energy and the energy of position (gravitational). KINETIC The motion of waves, electrons, atoms, molecules, and substances. CHEMICAL ENERGY is the energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules. Gasoline and a piece of pizza are examples. NUCLEAR ENERGY is the energy stored in the nucleus of an atom the energy that holds the nucleus together. The energy in the nucleus of a plutonium atom is an example. RADIANT ENERGY is electromagnetic energy that travels in transverse waves. Light and x-rays are examples. THERMAL ENERGY or heat is the internal energy in substances the vibration or movement of atoms and molecules in substances. The heat from a fire is an example. ELASTIC ENERGY is energy stored in objects by the application of force. Compressed springs and stretched rubber bands are examples. GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY is the energy of place or position. A child at the top of a slide is an example. MOTION is the movement of a substance from one place to another. Wind and moving water are examples. SOUND is the movement of energy through substances in longitudinal waves. Echoes and music are examples. ELECTRICAL ENERGY is the movement of electrons. Lightning and electricity are examples The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

26 MASTER 4-Blade Windmill Template Procedure 1. Cut out the square. 2. Cut on the dotted, diagonal lines. 3. Punch out the four black holes along the sides (being careful to not rip the edges) and the one in the center. 4. Follow the directions on the Wind Can Do Work worksheet to complete the windmill. 26 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

27 Genecon Activities Teacher Demonstration: Generator vs. Motor Activity used with permission from Adventures with the GENECON Hand Operated Generator, by Gary W. Nahrstedt. Objectives Students will be able to describe how a generator converts kinetic energy into electrical energy. Students will be able to describe how a motor converts electrical energy into kinetic energy. Materials Genecon with output cord 1 Bulb (3.8V, 0.3A) in socket with leads 1 Battery (any 1.5-volt AAA, AA, or D) 1 Turbine tower (see Turbine Assembly Instructions on pages of the Teacher Guide) 1 Fan 2 Alligator clips Benchmark blades Procedure PART ONE 1. Plug the output cord into the back of the Genecon. Connect the leads of the Genecon to one of the bulb sockets using the leads provided in the kit. 2. Slowly turn the rotary handle of the Genecon with increasing force until the bulb lights. What do you notice about the bulb? How is it affected by the turning speed of the handle? 3. Rotate the handle in the opposite direction. What do you notice? Caution: excessively rotating the handle may burn out the bulb or strip the gears, damaging the unit. PART TWO 1. Replace the light bulb with a battery, with the two alligator clips making contact with the opposite ends of the battery. Now what happens? PART THREE 1. Attach alligator clips to the leads of the turbine tower. Then attach the clips to the leads of the Genecon. 2. Face the turbine blades into the fan and watch the Genecon as the turbine blades spin. What happens to the Genecon? Change the speed of the fan faster and slower. What do you notice? & Background Information: Why Does the Genecon Work? In the first part of the demonstration, the Genecon acts as a generator. A generator is a device that converts kinetic energy into electrical energy. When the handle is turned, the bulb lights. You should notice that the bulb becomes brighter as the handle is turned more rapidly. In general, the brighter the bulb, the more voltage the Genecon is producing. The bulb will light when the handle turns in either direction, although the polarity is reversed (see Activity 17 in the Genecon booklet). In the second part of the demonstration, the Genecon acts as a motor a device that converts electrical energy into kinetic energy. The battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy to turn the handle (kinetic energy). In the third part of the demonstration, the Genecon again acts as a motor. Electrical energy from the wall outlet powers the fan (kinetic energy). The wind (kinetic energy) is captured by the turbine blades and they spin (kinetic energy). The spinning motion generates electrical energy that flows through the leads from the turbine to the Genecon. This electrical energy provides the power to turn the handle (kinetic energy). Notice the speed of the turning handle corresponds to the speed of the power source the spinning blades. A motor and a generator are essentially the same device the direction of the electrical flow determines what the device is called. Motor: electrical energy in, kinetic energy out. Generator: kinetic energy in, electrical energy out. Assessment Questions 1. Lighting the bulb demonstrates a series of energy conversions. Describe as many as you can. 2. Write a paragraph describing how a motor works. 3. Compare and contrast motors and generators The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

28 MASTER Measuring Electricity Included in the kit are three tools to measure electricity two multimeters and one voltmeter. The multimeter allows you to measure current, resistance, and voltage, and displays the reading numerically. The voltmeter measures voltage only, but displays a visual reading as higher electrical outputs illuminate more lights. When using either meter it should be noted that some measurements will never stay still at a single repeatable value. This is the nature of the variables being monitored in some circumstances. For example, if you were to measure the resistance between your two hands with the ohmmeter setting on the multimeter (megohm range millions of ohms), you would find that the values would continuously change. How tightly you squeeze the metal probes and how wet or dry your skin is can have a sizable effect on the reading that you obtain. In this situation you need a protocol or standardized method to allow you to record data. We recommend that you discuss with your class the variability of measurement and let them come up with a standard for collecting data. They may decide to go with the lowest reading, the highest reading, or the reading that appears most frequently in a certain time period. Digital Multimeter Visual Voltmeter (NOT USED) Directions: DC VOLTAGE 1. Connect RED lead to VΩmA jack and BLACK to COM. 2. Set ROTARY SWITCH to highest setting on DC VOLTAGE scale (1000). 3. Connect leads to the device to be tested using the alligator clips provided. 4. Adjust ROTARY SWITCH to lower settings until a satisfactory reading is obtained. 5. With the wind turbine, usually the 20 DCV setting provides the best reading. DC CURRENT (must include a load in the circuit) 1. Connect RED lead to VΩmA jack and BLACK to COM. 2. Set ROTARY SWITCH to 10 ADC setting. 3. Connect leads to the device to be tested using the alligator clips provided. Note: The reading indicates DC AMPS; a reading of 0.25 amps equals 250 ma (milliamps). Directions: 1. Switch the tab over to 5V. 2. Press down on the GND button. Insert one wire from the turbine into the hole on the bottom. Release the button to secure the wire in place. 3. Repeat step two with the other wire on the V+ Input side. 4. Turn on the voltmeter. 5. Place the turbine in front of the fan. The lights on the voltmeter will light indicating how much electricity is being generated. NOTES: If the Reverse Polarity light flashes, switch the wires in the GND and V+ Input locations. The voltmeter s lowest reading is 0.25 volts. If you do not see any lights, connect the turbine to the multimeter for smaller readings. YOUR MULTIMETER MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE SHOWN. BEFORE USING THE MULTIMETER, READ THE OPERATOR S INSTRUCTION MANUAL INCLUDED IN THE BOX FOR SAFETY INFORMATION AND COMPLETE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS. 28 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

29 MASTER Basic Measurement Values in Electronics SYMBOL VALUE METER UNIT V Voltage (the force) Voltmeter volt I Current (the flow) Ammeter ampere R Resistance (the anti-flow) Ohmmeter Ohm 1 ampere = 1 coulomb/second 1 coulomb = 6.24 x electrons (about a triple axle dump truck full of sand where one grain of sand is one electron) Prefixes for Units Smaller (m)illi x 1/1 000 or (µ) micro x 1/ or (n)ano x1/ or (p)ico x 1/ or Bigger (k)ilo x 1,000 (M)ega x 1,000,000 (G)iga x 1,000,000,000 Formulas for Measuring Electricity V = I x R I = V/R R = V/I The formula pie works for any three variable equation. Put your finger on the variable you want to solve for and the operation you need is revealed. Series Resistance (Resistance is additive) R T = R 1 + R 2 + R 3 +R n Parallel Resistance (Resistance is reciprocal) 1/R T = 1/R 1 + 1/R 2 + 1/R 3 +1/R n Note: ALWAYS convert the values you are working with to the BASE unit. For example, don t plug kiloohms (kω) into the equation convert the value to ohms first The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

30 Turbine Assembly Instructions You Will Need 3 Legs 1 Center hub 1 Locking disc 1 Wood tower Nacelle (pre-assembled) Gears 12 Hole crimping hub Blades Tower Assembly 1. Center Hub 2. Leg Locking Disc Wood Tower 1. Lock one leg onto the center hub. 2. Attach the two other legs in the same way. 3. Slide the locking disc onto the tower about 3 inches. 4. With the teeth of the locking disc pointing down, insert the tower into the center hub, locking the tower in place. Turbine Nacelle 1. The turbine nacelle comes pre-assembled as part of the NEED wind kit. The hub, gears, and motor can be removed and rearranged, depending on the investigation. See page 31 for directions on changing gears. Turbine Nacelle 30 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

31 Turbine Gears and Motors 64-tooth Gear 1. The 16, 32, or 64 tooth gear will lock into the small Hex-Lock. You can choose to mount the gear on either side of the nacelle, but we recommend mounting your gears on the side of the nacelle opposite from the hub. This makes it easier to interchange gears and manipulate your blade pitch. 2. You will now need to move your DC motor up or down so that the pinion gear (the smallest gear in a drive train) meshes with Hex-Lock the gear on the hub. NOTE: If you are using the largest gear size, you will notice that it will only fit with regular nuts under the motor mounts, as wing-nuts are too tall. If you are using the smallest gear size, you will have to use regular nuts above the motor mounts. Give the hub a spin to make sure that the gear turns and rotates the small pinion gear on the motor. 16-tooth Gear 32-tooth Gear Use the nuts to adjust the motor up and down so the gears mesh. USING THE 16-TOOTH GEAR (SMALLEST RATIO) Since the 16-tooth gear is so small, it is challenging to get the generator high enough in the main body to mesh gears. In order to use this small ratio, you have to use the thinner generator. Remove the upper half of the motor mount and slide a small cardboard or folded paper shim in between the generator and the main body housing. You will have to adjust the width of this shim to get the gears to mesh perfectly. Tighten the nuts below the motor mount to secure the generator in place. If the gears do not mesh well, adjust your shim. Adding the Hub and Blades 1. The HEX shaped driveshaft allows you to connect the Hex-Lock to the driveshaft. If you mount your gears or a weightlifting spool on the back of the nacelle, it will not slip on the driveshaft. 2. The Hex-Lock allows you to quickly interchange and lock gears in place on the driveshaft. Your gear will fit snugly onto this adapter. Slide the Hex-Lock and your gear up the driveshaft right behind the hub, as shown in the picture. Again, be sure to line up the main drive gear with the pinion attached to your DC motor. 3. The completed nacelle will slide right onto your tower. You can secure the nacelle in place by screwing in one or two more small screws in the holes at the bottom of the nacelle. 4. Turn the knob on the front of the hub to loosen the two hub sides. Do not turn the knob too far or the hub will separate completely. 5. Place the blades into the slots. Tighten the hub to hold the blades in place. Hub Quick-Connect Hub Video Assembly Instructions Vernier and KidWind teamed up to provide a short video showcasing turbine assembly from beginning to end. The Vimeo video can be found on Vernier s website, and also by visiting The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

32 32 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

33 Calculating Wind Power? Question How do you calculate wind power? Materials Fan Wind gauge Turbine with benchmark blades Meter stick Formula Power = ½ ρav 3 where ρ = air density (ρ = 1.2 kg/m 3 at standard ambient temperature and pressure); A = swept area (A = πr 2 ; π = ); V = velocity Watts = ½ (kg/m 3 ) x (m 2 ) x (m/s) 3 Procedure 1. Measure the radius of the turbine blade assembly and calculate the area swept by the blades. (A = πr 2 ) 2. Use the wind gauge to measure the wind velocity at a distance of 1 meter from the fan on low and high speeds. Convert the measurements from miles per hour to meters per second (m/s). (1 mile = meters) Wind Velocity at Low Speed - 1 meter: Wind Velocity at High Speed - 1 meter: mph = m/s mph = m/s 3. Use the formula above to calculate the power of the wind in watts at both fan speeds. Wind Power at Low Speed - 1 meter: W Wind Power at High Speed - 1 meter: W 4. Vary the distance from the fan and calculate the power on low and high speeds. Wind Power at m (distance A) on Low Speed: W Wind Power at m (distance A) on High Speed: W Wind Power at m (distance B) on Low Speed: W Wind Power at m (distance B) on High Speed: W Conclusion 1. Compare the power at different distances from the fan and on different fan speeds. 2. Explain the relationships between the different variables and the power produced The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

34 Baseload Balance Student Information Introduction Four kinds of power plants produce most of the electricity in the United States: coal, natural gas, nuclear, and hydropower. Coal plants generate a little more than 33 percent of the electricity we use. There are also wind, geothermal, waste-to-energy, solar, and petroleum power plants, which together generate a little less than ten percent of the electricity produced in the United States. All of this electricity is transmitted to customers, or loads, via the network of transmission lines we call the grid. Fossil Fuel Power Plants Fossil fuel plants burn coal, natural gas, or petroleum to produce electricity. These energy sources are called fossil fuels because they were formed from the remains of ancient sea plants and animals. Most of our electricity comes from fossil fuel plants in the form of coal and natural gas. Power plants burn the fossil fuels and use the heat to boil water into steam. The steam is channeled through a pipe at high pressure to spin a turbine generator to make electricity. Fossil fuel power plants can produce emissions that pollute the air and contribute to global climate change. The amount and type of emissions can vary based upon the type of fossil fuel and technologies used within the plant. Fossil fuel plants are sometimes called thermal power plants because they use heat energy to make electricity. (Therme is the Greek word for heat.) Coal is used by many power plants because it is inexpensive and abundant in the United States. There are many other uses for petroleum and natural gas, but the main use of coal is to produce electricity. Over 90 percent of the coal mined in the United States is sent to power plants to make electricity. Nuclear Power Plants Nuclear power plants are called thermal power plants, too. They produce electricity in much the same way as fossil fuel plants, except that the fuel they use is uranium, which isn t burned. Uranium is a mineral found in rocks underground. Uranium atoms are split to make smaller atoms in a process called fission that produces enormous amounts of thermal energy. The thermal energy is used to turn water into steam, which drives a turbine generator. Nuclear power plants do not produce carbon dioxide emissions, but their waste is radioactive. Nuclear waste must be stored carefully to prevent contamination of people and the environment. Cost of Electricity How much does it cost to make electricity? Cost depends on several factors. Fuel Cost The major cost of generating electricity is the cost of the fuel. Many energy sources can be used. There are also other factors that tie into the cost of a fuel, including production cost, manufacturing or refining costs, cost of transporting the fuel, and more. Hydropower is the cheapest energy source while solar cells are typically the most expensive way to generate power. Building Cost Another factor is the cost of building the power plant itself. A plant may be very expensive to build, but the low cost of the fuel can make the electricity economical to produce. Nuclear power plants, for example, are very expensive to build, but their fuel uranium is inexpensive. Coal-fired plants, on the other hand, are cheaper to build, but the fuel (coal) is more expensive than uranium. Efficiency When figuring cost, you must also consider a plant s efficiency. Efficiency is the amount of useful energy you get out of a system. A totally efficient machine would change all the energy put in it into useful work. Changing one form of energy into another always involves a loss of usable energy. Efficiency of a power plant does not take into account the energy lost in production or transportation, only the energy lost in the generation of electricity. Combined Cycle vs. Simple Cycle In the most simple of thermal power plants, a fuel is burned, and water is heated to form high-pressure steam. That steam is used to turn a single turbine. Thermal power plants running in this manner are about 35 percent efficient, meaning 35 percent of the energy in the fuel is actually transformed into useable electrical energy. The other 65 percent is lost to the surrounding environment as thermal energy. Combined cycle power plants add a second turbine in the cycle, increasing the efficiency of the power plant to as much as 60 percent. By doing this, some of the energy that was being wasted to the environment is now being used to generate useful electricity. Hydropower Plants Hydropower plants use the energy in moving water to generate electricity. Fast-moving water is used to spin the blades of a turbine generator. Hydropower is called a renewable energy source because it is renewed by rainfall. 34 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

35 In general, today s power plants use three units of fuel to produce one unit of electricity. Most of the lost energy is waste heat. You can see this waste heat in the great clouds of steam pouring out of giant cooling towers on some power plants. For example, a typical coal plant burns about 4,500 tons of coal each day. The chemical energy in about two-thirds of the coal (3,000 tons) is lost as it is converted first to thermal energy, and then to motion energy, and finally into electrical energy. This degree of efficiency is mirrored in most types of power plants. Thermal power plants typically have between a 3040% efficiency rating. Wind is usually around the same range, with solar often falling below the 30% mark. The most efficient plant is a hydropower plant, which can operate with an efficiency of up to 95%. Making Decisions Meeting Demand Transmission Organizations We don t use electricity at the same rate at all times during the day. There is a certain amount of power that we need all the time called baseload power. It is the minimum amount of electricity that is needed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is provided by a power company. Besides making decisions about generation, RTOs and ISOs also manage markets for wholesale electricity. Participants can buy and sell electricity from a day early to immediately as needed. These markets give electricity suppliers more options for meeting consumer needs for power at the lowest possible cost. However, during the day at different times, and depending on the weather, the amount of power that we use increases by different amounts. We use more power during the week than on the weekends because it is needed for offices and schools. We use more electricity during the summer than the winter because we need to keep our buildings cool. An increase in demand during specific times of the day or year is called peak demand. This peak demand represents the additional power above baseload power that a power company must be able to produce when needed. Ten RTOs operate bulk electric power systems across much of North America. More than half of the electricity produced is managed by RTOs, with the rest under the jurisdiction of individual utilities or utility holding companies. Power plants can be used to meet baseload power or peak demand, or both. Some power plants require a lot of time to be brought online operating and producing power at full capacity. Others can be brought online and shut down fairly quickly. Coal and nuclear power plants are slow, requiring 24 hours or more to reach full generating capacity, so they are used for baseload power generation. Natural gas is increasing in use for baseload generation because it is widely available, low in cost, and a clean-burning fuel. Wind, hydropower, and solar can all be used to meet baseload capacity when the energy source is available. Wind is often best at night and drops down in its production just as the sun is rising. Solar power is not available at night, and is greatly diminished on cloudy days. Hydropower can produce electricity as long as there is enough water flow, which can be decreased in times of drought. Someone needs to decide when, which, and how many additional generating locations need to be brought online when demand for electricity increases. This is the job of the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) or Independent System Organization (ISO). ISOs and RTOs work together with generation facilities and transmission systems across many locations, matching generation to the load immediately so that supply and demand for electricity are balanced. The grid operators predict load and schedule generation to make sure that enough generation and back-up power are available in case demand rises or a power plant or power line is lost. In the 1990s, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission introduced a policy designed to increase competitive generation by requiring open access to transmission. Northeastern RTOs developed out of coordinated utility operations already in place. RTOs in other locations grew to meet new policies providing for open transmission access. Members of RTOs include the following: Independent power generators Transmission companies Load-serving entities Integrated utilities that combine generation, transmission, and distribution functions Other entities such as power marketers and energy traders RTOs monitor power supply, demand, and other factors such as weather and historical data. This information is input into complex software that optimizes for the best combination of generation and load. They then post large amounts of price data for thousands of locations on the system at time intervals as short as five minutes. To meet peak demand, energy sources other than coal and uranium must be used. Natural gas is a good nonrenewable source to meet peak demand because it requires only 30 minutes to go from total shutdown to full capacity. Many hydropower stations have additional capacity using pumped storage. Some electricity is used to pump water into a storage tank or reservoir, where it can be released at a later time to generate additional electricity as needed. Pumped storage hydropower can be brought fully online in as little as five minutes. Some power plants, because of regulations or agreements with utilities, suppliers, etc., do not run at full capacity or year-round. These power plants may produce as little as 50 percent of maximum generating capacity, but can increase their output if demand rises, supply from another source is suddenly reduced, or an emergency occurs The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA The Continental U.S. Electric Grid Data: Energy Information Administration 35

36 36 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide 100 MW MW MW MW MW MW MW MW Load 0:00 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 GAME BOARD 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 COMMERCIAL BASELOAD 20 MW 6:00 Baseload Balance 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

37 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA Load 10 MW 1 20 MW 2 30 MW 3 40 MW 4 50 MW 5 60 MW 6 70 MW 7 80 MW 8 90 MW MW 0:00 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 12:00 TIME OF DAY 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 HEAVY INDUSTRIAL BASELOAD 60 MW RESIDENTIAL BASELOAD 3 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00

38 38 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide Load 0:00 1:00 2:00 4:00 6:00 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 Coal Baseload Generation 40 MW, $40/MWh 5:00 19:00 20:00 Natural Gas Combined Cycle Baseload 20 MW, $50/ MWh 3:00 GAME PIECES Baseload Balance 21:00 22:00 23:00

39 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA Wind Baseload,, $80/MWh Natural Gas Simple Cycle Peak Load,, $200/MWh, 30 minutes lead-in time required Natural Gas Simple Cycle Peak Load,, $600/MWh, 30 minutes lead-in time required Hydropower Peak Load,, $50/MWh, 5 minutes lead-in time required Natural Gas Simple Cycle Peak Load, 10 MW, $150/MWh, 30 minutes lead-in time required Natural Gas Simple Cycle Peak Load,, $90/MWh, 30 minutes lead-in time required Natural Gas Simple Cycle Peak Load, 10 MW, $90/MWh, 30 minutes lead-in time required Hydropower Pumped Storage Peak Load, 10 MW, $60/MWh, 5 minutes lead-in time required Hydropower Baseload,, $30/MWh Wind Baseload,, $80/MWh Solar Baseload,, $180/MWh Nuclear Baseload 50 MW, $30/MWh

40 Baseload Balance GENERATION PARAMETERS Fuel Capacity Type of Generation Time Required for Full Capacity Cost per Megawatt-hour Coal 40 MW Baseload 24 hours $40 Nuclear (Uranium) 50 MW Baseload 24 hours + $30 Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) 20 MW Baseload 30 minutes + $50 Wind Baseload Immediate when wind speed is sufficient; primarily at night Solar Baseload Immediate when solar intensity is sufficient; only during day $80 $180 Hydropower Baseload 5 minutes $30 Hydropower Pumped Storage 10 MW Peak load 5 minutes $60 Hydropower Peak load 5 minutes $50 Natural Gas Simple Cycle (NGSC) 5-10 MW each site Peak load 5 minutes $90-$ Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

41 Baseload Balance Hang Tag Template Generation Baseload Nuclear 50 MW $30 / MW-hour Generation Baseload Coal 40 MW $40 / MW-hour Generation Baseload Natural Gas CC 20 MW $50 / MW-hour Generation Baseload Hydro $30 / MW-hour Generation Baseload Wind $80 / MW-hour Generation Baseload Solar $180 / MW-hour 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

42 Generation Peak Load Natural Gas SC 10 MW $90 / MW-hour Generation Peak Load Natural Gas SC $90 / MW-hour Generation Peak Load Natural Gas SC 10 MW $150 / MW-hour Generation Peak Load Natural Gas SC $200 / MW-hour Generation Peak Load Natural Gas SC $600 / MW-hour Generation Peak Load Hydro (pumped storage) 10 MW $60 / MW-hour 42 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

43 Generation Peak Load Hydro $50 / MW-hour Transmission Transmission Transmission Load Commercial 20 MW Baseload Load Heavy Industry 60 MW Baseload 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

44 Load Residential 3 Baseload Load Residential 7:00 am 12:00 am Load Residential 10 MW 8:00 am 11:00 pm Load Commercial 10 MW 9:00 am 9:00 pm Load Commercial 5:00 pm 11:00 pm Load Light Industry 8:00 am 9:00 pm 44 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

45 Load Light Industry 9:00 am 8:00 pm Load Residential 10 MW 3:00 pm 1:00 am Load Light Industry 10:00 am 8:00 pm Regional Transmission Organization 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

46 Baseload Balance INCIDENT CARDS INCIDENT At 3:00 p.m. heavy cloud cover moves over the region taking out your solar generation. If you can t provide enough power to meet the load, RTO must choose who will lose power and be in blackout. How could a blackout have been avoided? INCIDENT At 2:00 p.m. a baseload coal unit trips and you lose 10 MWs of baseload coal. If you can t provide enough power to meet the load, RTO must choose who will lose power and be in blackout. How could a blackout have been avoided? INCIDENT At 5:00 p.m. a derecho hits, damaging power lines. You lose half your commercial and residential load. You must balance your load with generation. Could this have been predicted? 46 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

47 Baseload Balance CHEAT SHEET HANG TAGS 3 Baseload Demand 8 Peak Load Demand 6 Baseload Generation 7 Peak Load Generation 3-5 Transmission 1-3 RTO (Regional Transmission Organization) TOTAL LOADS BASELOAD DEMAND Residential 3 Heavy Industry 60 MW Commercial 20 MW TOTAL 11 PEAK LOAD/DEMAND 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. Residential 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Light Industry 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. 10 MW Residential 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Light Industry 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 10 MW Commercial 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Light Industry 3:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. 10 MW Residential 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Commercial GENERATORS AVAILABLE GENERATION BASELOAD GENERATION Coal Baseload 40 MW $40/MW Natural Gas Baseload 20 MW $50/MW Nuclear Baseload 50 MW $30/MW Hydropower Baseload $30/MW Solar Baseload $180/MW Wind Baseload $80/MW PEAK GENERATION Hydropower Pumped 10 MW $60/MW 5 MIN Natural Gas Simple Cycle 10 MW $90/MW 30 MIN Natural Gas Simple Cycle $90/MW 30 MIN Natural Gas Simple Cycle 10 MW $150/MW 30 MIN Natural Gas Simple Cycle $200/MW 30 MIN Natural Gas Simple Cycle $600/MW 30 MIN Hydropwer Peak $50/MW 5 MIN TOTAL BASELOAD DEMAND TOTAL ONLINE 11 TOTAL ONLINE PEAK LOAD COMING ONLINE PEAK LOAD GOING OFFLINE 7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. 120 MW 8:00 p.m. Lose 10 MW (2 Tags) 160 MW 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 12 9:00 p.m. Lose 1 (2 Tags) 14 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. 10 MW 13 11:00 p.m. Lose 1 (2 Tags) 130 MW 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 140 MW 12:00 a.m. Lose (1 Tags) 12 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 10 MW 150 MW 1:00 a.m. Lose 10 MW (1 Tags) 11 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 15 3:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. 10 MW 16 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. 170 MW 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

48 Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm ROLES AND KEY QUESTIONS Your community is growing and needs to explore options for adding electricity generation facilities to support the local demand. One of the opportunities being considered is from a developer to build a wind farm on land in your community. You understand that developing renewable resources is a way to meet the growing electricity needs of your area, but you are curious about the impacts a wind farm might have on your community versus a natural gas plant or a solar farm. You and other stakeholders have been invited to present your perspectives at a public forum. Based on your research, followed by your panel presentation, the community will vote on whether or not to support building the wind farm. Member of the County Commission The County Commission manages the public services of the community and determines how they are paid for. The County Commission is a political group and must take into consideration all political sides of the issue (jobs, taxes, revenue, etc.). You must consider the impacts on the community if the wind farm will be developed in the area. 1. What impacts would the wind farm have on the need to provide local services? 2. What economic impacts would the wind farm have on the local community and taxes? 3. What political impact would supporting the wind farm have on your community? Developer As the developer of the wind farm project, you must create a plan that details the advantages of establishing a wind farm in your particular area. You must also be able to answer questions from those groups that might oppose the wind farm. It is important as the developer that you understand the big picture of the positive and negative impacts of developing the wind farm. 1. What are the economic and environmental benefits to the community of developing the wind farm? 2. What are the disadvantages? How will potential risks be minimized? 3. How will the environment be protected during the installation, operation, and maintenance of the wind farm? 4. How will the utility and its customers benefit from the addition of the wind farm? Investor An investor is someone who uses his or her money to finance a project, in order to make money later. A developer has approached you with a proposal to build a wind farm in a nearby community. As an investor, you are interested in paying money now to build a wind farm, with the idea that you will earn money later as the wind farm becomes productive. You need to determine the costs, risks, earning potential, and benefits of investing in the wind farm. 1. How much will it cost to build and maintain the wind farm? What costs do you need to consider? 2. How much return of income can you expect from your investment? Over how many years? 3. What are the biggest risks to investing in the wind farm? 4. How might the risks and rewards of a wind farm compare to other energy facilities (solar or natural gas, for example)? 48 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

49 Site Planner The site planner of a wind farm considers many factors to determine the best location for a wind farm. You must take into consideration the important concerns that community members have. You need to determine the optimum areas for the turbines in regard to local weather patterns (wind strength). You must also take into consideration any other environmental factors that might affect the siting of the wind farm. 1. What information about local and global wind patterns and wind technology must you research before siting a wind farm? 2. What other weather information might be important besides wind speed? 3. What other factors must you consider? Are there roads and power lines nearby? 4. What environmental factors must you consider before siting a wind farm? Farmer/Rancher You are a farmer and rancher who has 10,000 acres of land that you use to grow crops and graze your cattle. The developer has informed you that it is considering a proposal to place a wind farm on part of the land. You think that using renewable energy and having multiple uses of the land are good ideas, but you are concerned about the impact of a wind farm on your crops and animals. 1. What impacts will siting, building, and operating a wind farm have on your crops and cattle? 2. Will you have to reduce the acres of crops you grow or the number of cattle that graze on the land? 3. Are there any financial benefits to you if building the wind farm on your leased land? Consumer/Neighbor You are a neighbor of the farmer/rancher on whose land the wind farm might be built. You have heard that large wind turbines generate a great deal of noise and that concerns you because the chinchillas you raise are very sensitive to noise. You are aware that there have been predictions of blackouts in the near future in your area because of a lack of electricity capacity. You are also wondering how the price of electricity in your area might be affected if a wind farm was installed. 1. How much noise do wind turbines generate? How can the developer plan for this? 2. What is shadow flicker? How can the developer plan for this? 3. How would a wind farm affect the property values of the surrounding properties? 4. How would local long-term electricity rates be affected by the installation of a wind farm? Environmentalist You are very concerned with protecting the environment. You would like to know how wind energy impacts the environment during the manufacture, installation, maintenance, and removal of the wind turbines. Also, there have been reports in the past of wind turbines injuring birds and bats that fly into them. You would like to know how wind energy installations might affect birds and animals in your area compared to other energy facilities. You are also concerned about pollution, climate change, and how electricity generation contributes to climate effects. 1. How would the manufacture and installation of wind turbines affect the local environment? 2. How would the operation of the wind turbines affect the surrounding environment and the plants and animals in the area? 3. Would the amount of electricity generated by the wind turbines be enough to offset the cost to the environment? 4. How does wind electricity generation compare to other options (natural gas, coal, solar) with carbon emissions? 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

50 Economist An economist is a person who can analyze the financial impacts of actions. The community that will be affected by the development of the wind farm has consulted you. They have asked you to determine the costs of generating electricity from fossil fuels and wind energy and to do a comparison study. This includes comparing construction costs, transmission costs, generation costs, and potential tax credits available for using wind. 1. How does the cost of using wind to generate electricity compare to other sources? 2. What economic advantages/disadvantages would the wind farm bring to the area? 3. Will the wind farm impact the economy of the area by bringing more jobs to the area? How many jobs? Will the jobs be permanent? What training is required? Utility Company Representative You are an employee of the local utility company and are responsible for making sure that your utility has the necessary capacity to provide electricity to all of your customers. There is increased demand for electricity in your community and you know you must secure reliable sources of additional generation in the near future. You would be the main purchaser of electricity from the wind farm. 1. How expensive would the electricity be from the wind farm? 2. How predictable is the electricity generation from the wind farm? 3. How reliable is the equipment on the wind farm? What happens if one turbine goes down temporarily? 4. Will there be additional costs to the utility company that might be passed along to consumers? Useful Websites to Visit When Conducting Research American Wind Energy Association: Energy Information Administration: Bureau of Land Management: U.S. Department of Energy - Wind: U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Wind Program: 50 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

51 WIND ENERGY BINGO A. Has used wind energy for transportation B. Knows the average cost per residential kilowatt-hour of electricity C. Can name two renewable energy sources other than wind D. Can explain how wind is formed E. Knows what an anemometer does F. Can name two forms of energy G. Can name two factors to consider when siting a wind farm H. Knows how electricity is generated by a wind turbine I. Has seen a modern wind turbine J. Knows how wind speed is measured K. Has experienced the wind tunnel effect L. Knows the energy efficiency of a wind turbine M. Can name two uses of windmills N. Can name two myths many people believe about wind turbines O. Has been to a power plant P. Knows what a gear box does A B C D NAME NAME NAME NAME E F G H NAME NAME NAME NAME I J K L NAME NAME NAME NAME M N O P NAME NAME NAME NAME 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

52 Youth Energy Conference and Awards The NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards gives students more opportunities to learn about energy and to explore energy in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). The annual June conference has students from across the country working in groups on an Energy Challenge designed to stretch their minds and energy knowledge. A limited number of spaces are available for a special two-day pre-conference event, which allows students access to additional information, time to discuss energy with their peers, and access to industry professionals. The conference culminates with the Youth Awards Ceremony recognizing student work throughout the year and during the conference. For More Info: Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement All NEED schools have outstanding classroom-based programs in which students learn about energy. Does your school have student leaders who extend these activities into their communities? To recognize outstanding achievement and reward student leadership, The NEED Project conducts the National Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement. Share Your Energy Outreach with The NEED Network! This program combines academic competition with recognition to acknowledge everyone involved in NEED during the year and to recognize those who achieve excellence in energy education in their schools and communities. What s involved? Students and teachers set goals and objectives and keep a record of their activities. Students create a digital project to submit for judging. In April, digital projects are uploaded to the online submission site. Want more info? Check out for more application and program information, previous winners, and photos of past events. 52 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

53 NEED s Online Resources NEED S SMUGMUG GALLERY On NEED s SmugMug page, you ll find pictures of NEED students learning and teaching about energy. Would you like to submit images or videos to NEED s gallery? info@need.org for more information. Also use SmugMug to find these visual resources: Videos Need a refresher on how to use Science of Energy with your students? Watch the Science of Energy videos. Also check out our Energy Chants videos! Find videos produced by NEED students teaching their peers and community members about energy. Online Graphics Library Would you like to use NEED s graphics in your own classroom presentations, or allow students to use them in their presentations? Download graphics for easy use in your classroom. AWESOME EXTRAS Looking for more resources? Our Awesome Extras page contains PowerPoints, animations, and other great resources to compliment what you are teaching in your classroom! This page is available under the Educators tab at The Blog We feature new curriculum, teacher news, upcoming programs, and exciting resources regularly. To read the latest from the NEED network, visit SOCIAL MEDIA Stay up-to-date with NEED. Like us on Facebook! Search for The NEED Project, and check out all we ve got going on! Follow us on Twitter. We share the latest energy news from around the Follow us on Instagram and check out the photos taken at NEED events, instagram.com/theneedproject. Follow us on Pinterest and pin ideas to use in your classroom, Pinterest.com/NeedProject. Subscribe to our YouTube channel! NEED Energy Booklist Looking for cross-curricular connections, or extra background reading for your students? NEED s booklist provides an extensive list of fiction and nonfiction titles for all grade levels to support energy units in the science, social studies, or language arts setting. Check it out at U.S. Energy Geography Maps are a great way for students to visualize the energy picture in the United States. This set of maps will support your energy discussion and multi-disciplinary energy activities. Go to to see energy production, consumption, and reserves all over the country! Evaluations and Assessment Building an assessment? Searching for standards? Check out our Evaluations page for a question bank, NEED s Energy Polls, sample rubrics, links to standards alignment, and more at E-Publications The NEED Project offers e-publication versions of various guides for in-classroom use. Guides that are currently available as an e-publication can be found at The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA

54 ORDER MATERIALS ONLINE! Anemometers and solar cells and light meters oh my! Getting your kits (or refills) has never been easier! Check out NEED s official online store at shop.need.org. 54 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide